The present invention generally relates to air bag modules and a means for attachment and more specifically to a side impact air bag module which will protect an occupant when the side of the vehicle is involved in an accident.
It is an object of the present invention to provide an air bag module that is easily assembled to a frame of a vehicle seat or other support structure of a vehicle. A further object of the present invention is to provide an air bag module that is attached to a frame using a minimum number of discrete fasteners.
A vehicle seat is typically constructed with a foam padding about its frame. This padding is provided with a cut-out or window through which the air bag module housing is received and attached to the frame. Some installations require the padding to be disrupted or moved out of the way to expose a mounting flange of the housing and to also provide sufficient room or clearance to receive a powered tool which is used to drive a thread bolt through the flange to secure the housing to the frame.
It is a further object of this invention to provide a module that can easily be attached to a seat frame requiring minimum disruption to the foam padding of the seat.
Accordingly the invention comprises: a side impact system adapted to be mounted upon a support member or frame of an upholstered vehicle seat, the frame including a mounting opening comprising: a bracket having a front face and sides, a socket for receiving a snap fastener, a receptacle for receiving a tab, the receptacle having an open face through which the tab is inserted and a projection extending above the front face; a generally rectangular housing having a bottom, opposing sides extending from the bottom and ends extending from the bottom and joined to the sides, the bottom including at least one fastener opening wherein the tab extends outwardly from one end of the housing. With the housing received upon the bracket and with the tab within the receptacle, the mounting opening, the socket and the fastener opening are in alignment.
Many other objects and purposes of the invention will be clear from the following detailed description of the drawings.